Opposition grows against training center

Derek Lacey Times-News Staff Writer @BRNDerek

Thursday

Apr 12, 2018 at 3:37 PMApr 12, 2018 at 7:35 PM

Opposition is solidifying against a proposed law enforcement training center Henderson County is hoping to construct on nearly 100 acres off Macedonia Road near Saluda. Hundreds of people have joined in an effort to stop the project they say will change the area's quiet, rural character and deter business based on the wild landscape of the area.

Earlier this month, the Henderson County Board of Commissioners made a surprise announcement that an alternative site had been found for a law enforcement training center previously slated for Blue Ridge Community College, after a year of working to lower the cost.

Confirmation came April 9 that the location is 2823 Macedonia Road, a 99-acre piece of wooded land bordered on one side by the Green River Game Lands and on another by Interstate 26.

But nearby residents, as well as officials with the city of Saluda and hundreds of others, are questioning whether the center is a good fit for the area and what impacts it will have on the community.

Jay Bergen, who lives about half a mile from the site, off the privately maintained Knight Road, believes “it really is going to destroy the natural beauty of this whole area” and “dramatically change it in a very negative way.”

That means scaring off abundant wildlife like bobcats, birds and bears that Bergen has seen from his house, and interrupting the quiet nature of the neighborhood.

While not always the case, Bergen said, traffic from Interstate 26, on the other side of the land in question, could be heard from his porch Thursday.

He’s one of many who plan to attend a Saturday walk-through of the site in protest of the project.

County officials are hosting the Saturday meeting at the site at 10 a.m. for nearby property owners who received invitations, though a later meeting may be arranged to allow more access.

After a slew of public comments against the proposal, the Saluda Board of Commissioners voted Monday night to send a letter to the Henderson County Board of Commissioners requesting an in-depth study of the project.

City Manager Jon Cannon says around 20 people showed up to Monday night's meeting voicing concerns over noise, traffic, environmental impacts and negative effects to tourism in the area, concerns that were reflected in the letter.

The board's letter, still in draft form waiting for signatures, says, "We are concerned that the proposed outdoor shooting range could have a negative impact upon the quality of life for local residents and the environment, be detrimental to our tourism and eco-tourism based businesses, reduce revenues to local shops and restaurants and reduce property values."

Noting those concerns, the letter asks Henderson County officials to commission a study to examine the environmental and economic impacts of locating the shooting range on Macedonia Road, and that any such study include the owners of all properties and businesses located in the area around the site, including any within Saluda city limits.

The county has said sound mitigation will be a priority, hoping to locate the outdoor shooting range on an elevated portion of property that can be surrounded by berms to direct the noise up. They also said suppressors will be used for rifle fire and that the vast majority of training will be done during normal business hours.

A Facebook group called Save Saluda has already racked up more than 325 members, urging people to show up at meetings and contact county commissioners and state Rep. Chuck McGrady about their opposition. People are also encouraged to sign up at the Board of Commissioners' April 18 meeting to voice their opposition.

The group says the range will harm the environment with lead and other toxins; harm the habitat of local species; create excessive noise pollution; destroy the peace and tranquility of the community; negatively impact local businesses and property values; increase traffic congestion on the already dangerous road; and conflict with the state Wildlife Resources Commission's and Board of Commissioners' mission statements.

Carol Propest, another nearby resident, said neighbors don’t want it in their backyard. She doesn’t think anyone should have to be subject to a shooting range next door. She moved to the area in 2005 after searching for a decade, and said it’s 10 minutes from anywhere, just the way she likes it. Propest and Bergen both talk about the rich wildlife and quiet nature of the property.

Sara Bell, owner of Green River Adventures and The Gorge Zipline is also against the proposa. “I understand their need. I think there are other ways to meet their needs without having a negative impact on the community," she said.

A concern for Bell, who employs 65 to 70 workers throughout the year and whose business sees around 30,000 unique visitors each year, is a responsibility to make sure her employees are taken care of and that the community’s economic growth continues.

“If we have clients coming to zipline and float down the river, and instead of our guides pointing out what kind of bird is flying by or what kind of fish they’re seeing, instead they’re explaining what the gunfire they’re hearing is,” she said. “This would have a massive impact on what is a major economic driver for Polk County and the city of Saluda.”

She also noted annual events like the Green Race and Green River Games which bring people from all over the world to the area, including world-class athletes who compete on the international level. Those events see more than 200 participants each and draw between 1,500 and 2,000 visitors each day.

She plans to attend Saturday’s meeting, and said all the company’s trips take place either in the Green River Game Lands or in the 120 acres the business owns. Lead contamination on a ridge above the gorge is another concern.

“Our livelihood depends on people coming to visit the area to experience the rugged wilderness that is the Green River Gorge and all the activities that are available in that area,” Bell said.

She, Bergen and others wonder why other nearby resources aren’t more utilized, from the Western Campus of the North Carolina Justice Academy in Edneyville to the 85-acre Foothills Public Shooting Complex in Cherryville, billed as the largest outdoor shooting complex in the southeastern United States.

In email responses to concerned residents shared with the Times-News, County Manager Steve Wyatt and Commissioners Chairman Mike Edney defended the project, saying that residents’ concerns will be addressed during the study process.

The email replies state that, “In meeting with consulting engineers, it has been made clear that the objective of creating a cost-effective training facility with the absolute minimum impact on the environment and the neighborhood is the goal.”

Noise will be mitigated through berms and other techniques, according to the emails, and Macedonia Road will be evaluated for improvement and better maintenance while the increase in traffic won’t be daily and will be managed through scheduling.

According to those emails, trees will be inventoried and vegetation to attract wildlife will be added to the property. No hunting will be allowed.

“What people seem to be missing is the fact that the property at some point in time would likely be developed for residential purposes,” the emails say. ”In other words the potential for 70 to 80 single-family houses. Even at half that amount, or as few as 10 units, this will have a much greater impact in every way.”

The emails go on to say that the need for training law enforcement and other emergency personnel has never been more evident and will only continue to grow. "The safety and security of our school children, working families and our retirees is the driving force behind this effort. As the times have changed, more is required of each of us to maintain that safety and security.”

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